Cotton-picking machine.



N. BOWDITCH.

COTTON PIOKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.18.1905.

1 1 1 9,796. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS SHEBT 1.

N. BOWDITOH.

COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1B, 1005 Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS'SHEBT 2.

flrforne N. BOWDITCH.

COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED M10218, 1905.

1, 1 1 9,796. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

N. BOWDITCH.

UOTTON PICKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC 18. 1905.

1,119,796. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

olJjf risen.

COTTON-PICKING MACHINE.

To all whom it'may concern Be it known that I, NATHANIEL Bownrron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois. have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cotton-Picking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cotton picking machines, and has for its object to provide a new and improved machine of this description. I

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein-- Figure 1 is a plan view of a cotton picking machine; Fig. 2 is a view of one of the wheels of the machine with parts broken away; Fig. 3 isa sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line l-4l0f' Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the hub of thewheel shown in Fig. 3 with the parts moved so as to throw the pickers out of gear; Fig. 6 is a view of the guiding device for the actuating levers; Fig. 7 is a view of the guiding device for the actuating levers developed or flattened out; Fi 8 is a sectional view through the end of one of the actuating levers; Fig. 9 is a view of one of the guides for the spiral pickers; Fig. 10 is an end view of the iide shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a ,sectiona view through one of the guides and the picker supporting bar; Fig. 12 is a view ol one of the engaging devices through which the picker passes; Fig. 13is a view of a portion of the woven wire material used in making one form of picker;

F ig. 14 is a view showing a portion of a picker and the method of attaching the woven wire.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

The cotton picking device herein shown is provided with two wheels, A, mounted upon an axle,i\ A series of spiral cotton picking devices, B, are associated with each wheel. These picking devices pass through guides B attached to the wheel and are provided with. flexible picker points, 13*, which project laterally therefrom, and which engage the cotton when the device is operated. In operating the machine it is pulledalong the row of cotton, one wheel being on each side of the row. The spiral Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed December 18, 1905. Serial No. 292,204.

pickers when opposite the cotton are pushed through the wheel, and at the same time rotated, the picker pointsengaging the cotton so as to wrap it about the picker and tear it from the cotton bolls. The pickers are then withdrawn into the wheel and the cotton wiped oil, said cotton then dropping into a suitable receiving device. The spiral pickers B are connected to picker bars G, a series of pickers being connected to each bar, the bars mounted radially about the wheel. These bars are carried upon the guide rods C and are moved back and forth therealong by means of the levers D. These levers are connected by a suitable connec' tion, such as the bolts D, with the bars C and. are provided with a slot D to permit relative movement of the parts. The levers D are pivotallyconnected to supporting parts D which are fixed to the wheel. The ends of the levers pass between the guiding devices F and F ends of the'actuating levers D with rollers I prefer to provide the D (see Fig. 8) which are fastened thereto in any desired manner, as by the bolts D". These rollers lit in between the guiding devices F and F and are preferably coneshaped or at least curved so that the ends are smaller in diameter than the middle-portion. The faces I? of the guiding devices F and F are inclined and the incline varies at different parts of the guiding devices, the incline being such as to make these faces substantially parallel to the levers D as they move about'the axle 1 and are thus moved about their pivotal connection with the as to make the slot between them change in direction it will be seen that the levers D- when they come to this change in direction will be moved about their pivotal point, and ii the change of direction of the guiding devices F and F is toward the right in Fig. 3 the outer ends of the levers D will be moved toward the left so as to thrust the pickers B through the guides 13. \Vh'en f into the cottonplant. I

guiding devices hendin the opposite direc-' the incline is in the opposite direction the lovers will he moved so as to withdraw the pickers within the wheel. This movement ot the pickers in and out causes thereL to rotate about their axis hccanse ot-the that they are spiral. shaped and pass through guides which engage the'spira'ls so as vto ,produce such rotation. When the pickersrotate and are in 'con'tactwith the I cotton plant the PlClQBI points engage the cotton causing, itgto wrap about the pickers thus tearing it :Er'onothe cotton bolls. Since the pickers arelonly in contact with the cotton plants comparatively short time, on account oi the factthat lllldmfikchine is moving forward, it becomes desirable ,tocause the pickers toiirotate rapidly while this contact-is being In other words under ordinary conditions the pickers are in an effective positiononly duringa part of the revolution of the wheels and hence they should he made to rotate rapidly during this effective periodfi lt'is also de .sirable to,.as, it were withhold therein the wheels until they come' opposite the cotton I plants, and then thrustthem out; rapidly between the branches of the plants@ ()rdi,

narily the most efiective position of the pickers is when they are near the ground.

Referring to Fig. 7 wherein it have shown the guiding devices l and F developed or flattened ouh will be noted that the guid ing devices and hence the slot between them are straightofora portion of their length.- it" for ex'amplathe end of the lever D is at the point F the pickers are entirely with,

drawn within the wheel and guides. As the lever moves along the straightportion of theuslot there is no longitudinal movement of the pickers; When the lever reaches the point I, that" is,- the point where the guiding devices and the slot" bend, the inner end of the lever is thrown quickly to the right thus causing the upper end oi": the lever to 'be thrown to the left-so as to push the pickers out through the guides. ,The pickers are then rotated very rapidly because'of the fact that they are thrust tron 'the wheel toward the cotton at a comparatively high rate of speed. When the lever reaches the point F? the picker is thrust the maximum distance At thispoint the tion, and as the'lever continues to move the inner end issuddenly niovedin the opposite direction. ":This causes the outer end to move so as to withdraw the pickers from the cotton. "Whenthelever reaches the pointO the'acute iriclineteases... The arrangement such that atthis point the pickers are not llh'e guiding devices from U to O are then onlyslightly iuclinedfiso as to gradually withcompletely withdrawn into the wheel.

draw the pickers into the wheel. At the point (3' the guiding devices arranged so "ht from thepOint to then inclines to the that the slot the point n",

point so as to quickly move the pickers completely inand cause the cotton to be all *wiped off by contact with the outer face of the wheel. ltwill thus be-seen that as the wheelrotates and the pickers come opposite the cotton plants they are suddenly thrust into the cotton plants and at the same time given a IdPlCl-lOtZLiJlOIL When the pickers have been thrust their full length intothe cotton plants the motion is reversed and they are pulled rapidly from the cotton plants into the wheel until only a comparatively small portion thereof projects from the wheel. During the further rotation of the wheel they are withdrawn slowlyinto' the wheel. When the pickers because of the is nonrotating and the sleeve E is fastened thereto by means of interlocking projections E (see Fig. 7). Means are provided tor disconnecting the sleeve E from the sleeve E and moving the sleeve E to one side to inove the guiding device F away from the guiding device F so as to throw the mechanism out of gear... Any

suitable construction for thispurpose may be used. As herein shown a series o ods E are connected with the r ng E (sec 4. rgs. 3, 4c and 5). These rods are arranged to-operate inproper grooves and are connected with a holding piece 7" which is normally attached to the axle by means of the pin E When it is desi to throw the apparatus out of gear this pin is removed and the part E moved .intothe positiori..shown in Fig. 5. A pin E engages the holding piece E whenin the position shown in Fig. 5 and as cotter pin may be passed therethrough as to prevent the apparatus from being accide'ntally' J moved! into gear. the axle is a piece G connected with the axle by a suitable key and arranged so as to be held against longitudinal movement by the screw G. A cylindricalsupporting device l also surrounds the axle and is fastened to the piece G in any desired manner,

as by means of suitable bolts. Mounted upon the supporting device is an annular disk K rotating with the wheelandto which is connected a series-of braces K, said braces being connected at the other ends to the periphery or the wheel. in thisca'se an angle When the picker reaches the Surrounding p projections K (seeFig. 4) separated by a.

series of spaces K". The levers D pass be tween the projections K and said projec-.

tions engage saidleversbetween their ends so as to relieve the lateral strain when the pickers are in contact with the cotton plants and prevent the levers from being moved out of position laterally.

The spiral pickers B are mounted in the picker bars C so as to be rotatable. This result may be secured in any desired manner. As herein shown each picker B is connected to an end-piece 15* which passes through an opening in the picker bar u.

Within this opening is a bushing B (see i 11) having enlarged openings at the ends to receive calls. The end-piece B is enlarged at one end and is provided at the other end with an engaging pieceli arranged to engage the-balls so as to hold them in position. A locking nut B is attached to vthe end of the end-piece. The bushing 13 is held in place by a screw B". It will thus be seen that each of the pickers is provided with a ball hearing at the point where it connects with the picker bar. In this construction theguiding devices B through which the-spiral pickers pass are provided with a threaded part I preferably integral with the body. portion of the guiding .de'vice. There is also provided a removable piece M which extends up to the threaded part I and which is'provided'with a projection lV which projects into the threaded part. The removable part is held in placein any desired manner as by means of screws M which pass through lugs on the guiding device and the removable part. The guiding devices are provided with a series of engaging pieces l\ which are prel erably made Tout of. thin material and which are provided with projections N. These engaging pieces are provided with slots N which are enlarged at the ends (see Fig.

12). At the middle portion of the slot the material ofthe plate isturned up so as to form the rounded engaging faces N. These: engaging faces are placed in the guidingde 1 vices at suitable intervals. I prefer to place them a distance apart equal to one-half the: pitch of the spiral, and in this event the slots N of the adjacent engaging pieces will be at right angles to each other. The guiding devices 13 and the removable pieces M are provided with slots into which are re I ceived the projections r (see Figs. 9 and guiding device 13 and the removable piece.

It will thus be seen that when the M are clamped together the engaging pieces will be securely held inplace. The screw threaded end I olicacli guiding device is -provided with inclined faces M which guide the end of the picker toward the slot M in the end.tlicreof.v I i It will he noted that in this construction the wheel is providcd with a web 0 and that there is aperiphcry O projecting at substantially right angles therefrom. The.

outer edge of this periphery is provided with supporting means which asherein shown consist ottlieangle iron K parts K, K and F, thus supporting the weight upon the axleirk. The part K rotates about the part F", said latter part being connected with the axle, .It willbe seen that by this construction there is "provided a wheel wherein all of the actuating incchanislnis contained within the, wheel proper, that is, within the space hetweenthc web and the supporting means for the periphery.

The spiral pickers may be made in any desired manner as, for example, by placing a-picce of hair cloth between two bands of steel twisted in a spiral form so as to leave pro ecting to form the ends of the hair the picker points 13 In Figs. 13 and 14 I have shown a modilied construction of picker. When the hair cloth is used there are certain objectionable features which are not present with the modified construction wherein the picker is entirely metallic, including the picker points. The form of guide herein shown, wherein the engaging plates N are provided with slots with enlarged and openings, minimizes the wear on the picker point as it permits said picker points to more freely through the guides without injurious engagcnient therewith. In Fig. 13 I have shown a piece of woven wire consisting of a series of longitudinal strands, P, and a series of cross strands, P, woven together, the cross st ands projecting at each side beyond the longitudinal strands, thus providing a series of projecting points on each side. This woven wire is then placed between two bands, P and P, of metal, preferably steel, the whole formed intoa spiral shape. Some means is provided for fastening the cross wires to the two hands so as to prevent them from working out and thus becoming displaced. As herein shown, I secure this rcsuit by a small strip of solder, I, run along near the middle of the group of longitudinal wires so as to bind the cross wires in position. This solder may be applied before the wiresare placed between the bands, but

This also prevents unequ l he piclrer points, and ininning in their proper'position. One way, for trample of making the woven wire is to make the cross wires of 'ioered material and the longitudinal wires canhend around the cross wires ad yetthc cross wires will be strong and she. l prefer to have the cross wires 2, distance beyond the longitudinal wires so as to give greater flexibility. The woven wire may 'oe placed between the hands elthcr heto're or after they are formed into the spiral. 11 shows. a picker when the parts are all in position, the pickerpoints only of the woven wire being exposed.

I claim:

1. i l. cotton picking device comprising a reciprocating picker, an actuating pivoted lever connected. at one end therewith on one side of its pivotal point, a cam device 'directly engaging the other end of said lever on the other side oi" the pivotal point, and means for moving the lever and the cam ,de-

"vice relatively so. as to actuate the lever and reciprocate the picker.

2. A cotton picking device comprismg a rotatable wheel, a series of guides carried thereby, a series of cottonpickers adapted to be reciprocated in said guides, an actuating lever connected with said cotton pickers, a non-rotating cam device engagmg the end of said lever so that when the wheel rotates the pickers. willbe recipro-v outed.

3..A cotton picking device comprising a spiral reciprocating cotton p cker, a lever connected therewith and pivoted between its ends, two cam devices between which one end of said lever PlOJQCtS, and means for moving the lever with relation to the cam device.

ms to actuate the picker, said lever and p moving about acommon arms when 11 o mration.

p 4. cotton picking device comprising a spiral reciprocating cotton picker, a lever connected therewith and pivoted between its ends, two cam devices between which one". end of said lever pro]ects,'and means for moving the lever with relation to thecam devices so as to actuate the picker, the op posed faces of said cam devices losing. inclined, and 1Yl8Cl1fiI1lSH1 f0I rotating said love. and pickers about a common axis.

A cotton picking device comprising a spiral reciprocating cotton picker, a lever. connected therewith and pivoted between. its ends, two cam devices 'between which one end cit-said lever projects, and means for moving the lever with relation to the'c'am devices so as to actuate the piclrer,'the opposed faces of said cam devices being 111-, -chned, the mchne-oi said faces changing es out soft material so that the longitudiich form the picker points extend quite about a common axis.

the co b119,.

from point to point, and mechanism i orro tating sa1d iever pickers about a com-- mon axis.

v 6. A cotton picking device comprising a spiral reciprocating cotton picker, a lever connected therewith and pivoted between 1ts ends, two cam devices between which. one

end of said lever projects, and means for moving the lever with relation to the cam -devices so as to actuate the picker,-the, op-

posed laces or said cam devices at 'the points where the lever engages them losing substane tially parallel with said lever, and mecha nism for rotating said lever-and pickers 7. Acotton picking device comprising a wheel, a series of guides carried thereby, a series ofspiral cotton pickers adapted to he Y .reciprocated. in said guides, a bar to which said cotton pickers are connected, an actuatmg lever pivoted between its ends and con nected at one end withs'aid bar, two cam devices connected with the axle of the wheel, the other end of said bar extending between said cam devices.

wheel, a series of guides carried thereby,-aseries of spiral cotton pickers adapted toybe reciprocated 1n sald guides, a reciprocating bar associated with said spiral pickers, a 9

ball bearing connection bctween each of said spiral pickersand said reclprocating har, a

lever connected with said bar so as to bei ree to .move with relation thereto, said lever pivoted between its cnds,two non-rotating camf devices between which the other end of said lever extends, said camjdevices arranged so as to cause the lever to rock when the wheel 1s rotated to'reciprocate the pickers.

' 9. AI cotton picking-dev ce comprising a reciprocating cotton picker, an actuating lever pivotedbetween its ends having one end connected with said picker, a cam device associated with the other end of said lever adapted to rock it about its pivot when 9 .thereon,a series'ot picker bars to which said pickersfare' connected, a series of actuating livers connected with said picker bars, said actuating levers mountedon pivots enter? 8 mediate their ends, twocam parts between which one end of sa1d-actuat1nglevers project, said cam parts changing in direction a at predeterm ned points so as to rock the' 2 said levers.

. ELLA cotton plckingdevice comprising a wheel, a series of rotatable pickers mounted thereon, a series of picker bars towhich said pickers are connected, a series of actuating 0 90 8. A cotton picking device comprising a prising two non-rotatable cam parts, two

sleeves upon which said parts are mounted, said sleeves having interlocking projections, one of said sleeves rigidly connected with the axle of the wheel.

13. A cotton picking device comprising a wheel, a series ot'pickers mounted thereon, an actuating device for said pickers comprising two non-rotatable cam parts, two sleeves upon which said parts a re mounted,

' said sleeves having interlockingprojections,

one of said sleeves rigidly connected with the axle of the wheel, and means for moving the othcrsleeve to one side so as to separate the cam parts and throw the apparatus out o'lfv gear.

14. A cotton picking device con'iprising a wheel, a series of reciprocating cotton pickmounted thereon, a series of reciprocating bars to which said pickers are connected, a series of actuating levers mounted upon pivots intermediate their ends and con nected at one end with said reciprocating liars, two non-rotatable cam devices between which the ends of said levers project, said cam devices changing in direction at predetern'iined points so as to actuate the levers when the wheel is rotated, each of said cam parts mounted upon a sleeve, said sleeves having interlocking parts which engage when the guiding parts are in their operative position, one of said sleeves connected with the axle of the wheel, a controlling device connected with the other sleeve and arranged so that said latter sleeve may be moved to one side so as to separate the cam parts to throw the machine'out ofgear.

1.5. A cotton picking device comprising wheel, a series of reciprocating cotton pickers mounted thereon, a series of actuating levers mounted upon pivots intermediate their ends and connected with said cotton pickers, means for rocking said levers about their pivots when the wheel is ri'itated, an

engaging device mounted upon the Wheel so as to rotate therewith and provided with a series of projections between which said actuatin levers move.

16. ii cotton picking device con'lprising a wheel provided with a web, a periphery extending laterally from said web, supporting means for the outer edge of said periphery extendlng therefrom to the axle so as to support the outer edge of said periphery byvweb and said supporting meansso as to be entirely within the wheel.

17. A cotton picking device comprising a wheel, a series olpickers mounted thereon, a series of reciprocating bars connected with said pickers, a series of actuating levers connected with said bars, and a non-rotatable cam device directly engaged by said actuating levers.

18, A cotton picking device comprising a reciprocating picker, an actuating'lever connected therewith and provided at one end with a'roller smaller in dihmetcr at the ends than at the middle, a non-rotating cam device engaging said roller, and means for moving the lever and the cam device relatively to actuate the lever and reciprocate the picker andmeans for rotating said picker.

19. A cotton picking device comprising a rotatable wheel, a series of guides carried thereby, a LOIlOS of spiral cotton pickers adapted when reciprocated through said guides to be rotated, said cotton pickers provided with picking points, a series of picker bars connected with said wheel to which said pickers are rotatably connected, a series of actuating levers connected with said pick er bars, said levers mounted upon pivots so as to be free to rock, a roller connected with the end of 021th of said levers, two nonrotating cam devices having a space between them, the said rollers projecting into said space, said cam devices changing in direction at predetermined points so that when the wheel rotated the levers willbe actu ated.

20. A cotton picking device comprising a reciprocating picker consisting of two metallic bands with woven wire between them having longitudinal wires and cross wires, the cross wires projecting at each side he wind the longitudinal wires, means for tastoning these cross wires against endwisc dis placement, the whole formed into spiral shape, a guide having slots throughwhich the picker passes, an actuating lever-connected with said picker, a cam device directly engaging one end ot' said lever, and means for moving the level" and the cam device relatively so as to actuate the lever and reciprocate the picker.

21. A cotton picking devicecomprising a spiral cotton picker made up of two bands Formed into a spiral, a series o'li'longitudinal wires between said hands, and a series of cross wires also between said bands, the

- cross wires projectingb eyond the edges there- I of, and means-for connecting the cross wires to the longitudinal wires so to prevent lateral displacement of the cross wires, a r;- tatable wheel upon which said pickers'are mounted, aseries of guides carried thereby i and in. which said pickers are reciprccated, an actuating lever-connected with said-pickers, a nonerota ting cam device engaging the end of said lever so; that when the wheel-r0 I ,tates the pickers will-be reciprocated 22. A cotton picking-devicecomprising a spiral-cotton.picker-made up of two handsformed into a spiral,a series of longitudinal untempered wires between said bands, and a series of tempered cross wires also between saidbands around which said untempered wires are bent, the cross wires pro- =jecting beyond the edges of the bands so as to form the pickerpoints, a rotatable wheel upon which said pickers are mounted,aseriesoi guides carried thereby and in which said'pickeis are reciprocated, anactuating lever connected with said pickersy-a nonrotating cam device engaging the end of said lever so that when the wheel rotates the pickers will be reciprocated.

spiral cotton picker made upof-two bands formed into aspiral, a series-01E longitudinal untempered wires between said bands, and va series of tempered cross wire s also between said bands around which said untempered wires are bent,; the cross wires projecting beyond the edgesof the bandsso as to form the pickerpoints and means for preventing endwise displacement of ,the cros'swir'es, a rotatable wheel-upon which said pickers are mounted, ga'eeries o itguidescarried thereby I 40 and injwhich gsaid pickers are reciprocated, an actuating lever connected with said pick ers, a' non-rotating cam'device engaging the "endof said lever so that whenthe wheel ro tates the pickers will be reciprocated.

24; A cotton picking device comprising a guide "having two separable pieces, a iseries of engaging pieces provided with slots and alsoprovided on opposite sides with pro-- jections, said projectionspassing-into openings in the two parts ofthe guide; and means for fastening the two parts'together to hold the'engaging pieces in place a wheel upon which said guide is mounted, a spiral cotton pickerv reciprocating -1n sa d guide, an actuating lever connected. with said pickena' non-rotating cam" device -engagi 1g the end of. said lever softhat when the wheel rotates the picker will be reciprocated.

25. it cotton picking device comprising a guide having two separable pieces, a series of engaging pieces provided with slots the 23. A cotton picking device comprising a edges of. the material being bent laterallyso as to fcrrn curved faces for the slots, the

'Inateriai of the engaging devices being cut away so as to form enlarged: ends to said opposite sides with projections, said proslots, said engaging pieces'also provided on. g

jections passing into openings in the two parts ofthe guide, andmeans for fasteningthe two'parts together tohold-the engaging pieces in place, a wheel upon which said guide is mounted, aspiralcotton picker reciprocating in said guide, an actuating lever connected with said picker, a non-rotating cam device engaging the'end of said lever so that when the wheel-rotates the picker will i .be reciprocated.

A cotton picking device comprising a reciprocatingpicker, an actuating lever thcrefona rotatable part upon which said v lever is mounted, saidlever connected with said picker, and means for rocking said ledirectly. connected, means for'confining the movement of said part to a path parallel to said picker, an actuating lever connectedwith'said part, a camdevice also engaging said-lever and meansfor moving the lever and the cam device relatively so as to actu ate the leverand reciprocate the picker.

29. A; cotton picking device comprising a picker, a 'part,to whichit is connected, a

- guiding device'for said part, a pivoted arm ,connec'ted with said part, a cam engaging the other end ofsaid arm, said cam located,

in aplane intermedia-te the ends of said guiding device. 4 V i 30. Acotton vpicking device comprising a picker, a part to which it is fconnected, a

guide for said part along which'is moves, apivoted lever connected at one end with said part, a cam engaging theother end of said lever, said lever located intermediate the ends of saidguide. p

31. A cottonpicking device comprising a picker, a part to which it is connected, an

actuating cam and a rigid one piece ,lever connecting said partwith said cam,

NATHANIEL BOWDITCH' Witnesses:

' lion-inn l1. Knor'r,

EPnncrvnn W. TRUMAN. 

